The ladies’s skilled tennis tour will deliver its occasions again to China later this yr, saying the tip of a boycott instituted in late 2021 over issues concerning the security of former participant Peng Shuai after she accused a high-ranking authorities official there of sexual assault.
Key factors:
- WTA chief Steve Simon stated he’s satisfied his “requests will not be met” by the Chinese language authorities
- In consequence, the WTA will return to China the place Simon says he hopes “extra progress may be made”
- The WTA’s preliminary stand was the strongest towards China by a sporting physique and price it thousands and thousands of {dollars}
WTA Chairman and chief govt Steve Simon stated in an interview with The Related Press that whereas what he sought was by no means delivered — an opportunity for somebody from the tour to fulfill with Peng, together with a full and clear investigation into the Grand Slam doubles champion’s accusations — the choice was made, with enter from participant and event representatives, to return to the nation.
“The stance that we took on the time was acceptable, and we stand by that,” Simon stated.
“However 16 months into this, we’re satisfied that our requests is not going to be met. And to proceed with the identical technique would not make sense.
“So we wanted to take a look at a distinct method. With this, our members imagine it is time to resume the mission in China, the place we imagine we are able to proceed to make a optimistic distinction, as now we have for the final 20 years, whereas on the similar time ensuring that Peng is just not forgotten.
“By returning, hopefully extra progress may be made.”
Though there have been no stories of Peng sightings in public since fastidiously orchestrated appearances throughout the Beijing Olympics in February 2022, Simon stated the WTA has “acquired assurances from people who find themselves near her, that we have been involved with, that she is secure and dwelling along with her household in Beijing”.
He added that the tour has been assured by the Chinese language Tennis Affiliation, the game’s nationwide governing physique, that “there will not be any points with our athletes or our workers whereas they’re competing inside the area”.
He referred to as the change in course “an organisational choice” and famous: “The nice majority of the athletes had been supportive and needed to see a return … and felt it was time to return.”
The tour’s schedule in China ought to be revealed within the subsequent couple of weeks, Simon stated. It should start in September and embrace the season-ending WTA Finals in Shenzhen and different stops just like what was performed in 2019, earlier than the COVID-19 pandemic led to a spherical of cancellations.
Peng, now 37, received doubles trophies at Wimbledon and the French Open and reached the primary rating in doubles; in singles, she was a US Open semi-finalist and was ranked as excessive as quantity 14.
She dropped out of public view after saying in a social media publish in November 2021 that former vice premier Zhang Gaoli pressured her to have intercourse. The publish was rapidly taken down by Chinese language authorities.
The next month, Simon — with the backing of the WTA Board of Administrators, gamers, tournaments and sponsors — stated the tour would droop play in China. That was the strongest public stand towards China by a sports activities physique and price the WTA thousands and thousands of {dollars} in income.
Peng later tried to recant, together with in a managed interview throughout final yr’s Winter Video games. After the Olympics, the worldwide consideration and outrage raised by her case — ” The place is Peng Shuai? ” was a well-liked rallying cry, a T-shirt slogan seen at Grand Slam tournaments, a trending subject on social media — appears to have lessened.
The ATP males’s tennis tour and the Worldwide Tennis Federation, which oversees the Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup together with lower-level tournaments for particular person gamers, lately stated they’d resume operations in China after staying away due to COVID-19.
The ITF stated it welcomed the WTA’s choice to renew play in China.
“Concerning Peng Shuai, whereas she seems secure and nicely, we’ll proceed to hunt assurances about her ongoing security and welcome all different organisations’ efforts to assist her, each publicly and behind the scenes,” ITF President David Haggerty stated.
AP
